Finding Home
by EasternAsia
Summary: In the Baby Bones au. After escaping the labs of Dr. Gaster, Sans is on the verge of death.
1. Chapter 1

[ **WING DINGS]**

"normal speech"

[ **Papyrus,** ] Sans said picking up his younger brother and started running, [ **we have to go** ]. Papyrus was so confused, his brother only spoke in this language when he was scared or upset. What was going on?

(*****)

He held on tight to his older brother. He didn't understand the sirens blaring, why the scientists

weren't trying to catch them as they made their escape. He didn't understand the fire that would sometimes block their path. He tried closing his eyes that hurt because of the bright lights. He didn't understand when they stopped running, until he saw his brother. Then he did understand. His brother was hurt. He was surprised that they made it this far. He did what he could to cover up the really bad wounds.

It has been two days since then. He was so hungry. He didn't think mister turtle man would leave his stand after he got caught last time. Sans wasn't awake to eat it any way. He was so scared. Nothing he did would wake his brother up. "Why did daddy do this?" He whispered in the cold caverns of Waterfall. The chill seeping into his bones. He peered down at his older brother's unwaking form. The makeshift bandage around his brother's eye, it was filled again with a red sticky substance. Carefully he removed the bandage sighing in relief as he saw the crack over the right side of his skull and eye had started healing. He used the scarf he found in the dump to keep warm with to cover the wound.

"Sans, wake up, please!" the young skeleton cried shaking him "SANS!" Papyrus screamed he didn't know what to do. Sans groaned slightly, pain pulsing through him. Papyrus cuddled up next to him tears coming from his eyes.

[ **P-p** ] Sans whispered before the excruciating pain caused him to fall unconscious again. Papyrus cuddled next to his brother, taking in the warmth of his brother's fever, sobbing.

(*****)

Grillby didn't know what to expect when he heard pained screams on his way to his sister's home in Hotland. The flame sprite hurried his steps following the distressed cries. If there was something he could do to help he would do it. As he got closer he noticed he was straining to hear the pained cries. It was as if it had given up.

He sped up to a run and saw two children huddled under an echo flower. The larger child looked no older than five. The closer he got the more nauseous he felt. The larger skeleton's leg was twisted in a strange angle, the right eye was covered in a grossly stained piece of cloth, and his breathing was ragged. The grey shirt he was wearing was ripped and the cyan soul was dim, nearly giving up. If he wasn't helped soon he would turn to dust. He looked at the crying form. The smaller skeleton was covered in scratches, bruises, and these strange holes in his bones. He was shivering in the cool air of the cave, but it shouldn't have been cold enough for the child to shiver so violently.

Grillby forced himself not to get sick as he realized that something horrible must have happened to the children. He tried not to think it about it at the moment, he didn't have the time. He didn't know if he could help the older child before the child became dust.

Grillby gently scooped up the two children into his arms, careful not to shift them too much. They were much too light for the ages they appeared. The bigger skeleton felt warm in his arms, and smaller skeleton coughed slightly. Brows furrowed with worry he went to the gondola. Silently the ferry-woman looked at the fire sprite who never rode her gondola out of fear of getting wet. She saw the two children and how bad of condition they were in.

"Snowdin" Grillby said. She nodded and hurried her ferry faster than normal. Some of the water splashed onto Grillby's arm and leg causing him to cringe, but he tightened his grip on the children.

As soon as the gondola stopped Grillby ran off the dock and towards his bar, not noticing the looks he got from the inhabitants of the town. He placed the smaller skeleton down so he could open the door still holding the unconscious child. The younger child wobbly walked after Grillby, nervous but cared more about his brother than to distrust the large flame.

Grillby placed the child in his arms on the queen sized bed in his bedroom, then placed the smaller skeleton next to him. He knew that both the boys needed medical attention, but didn't want to leave the larger child alone or move it any more. The smaller child cuddled up to the bigger skeleton with the blanket and fell asleep. Grillby sighed and went to the bathroom, looking through the medicine cabinet for fever and pain medications. He grabbed the thermometer and wondered how he could take the children's temperatures. He grabbed whatever he could that could help. Taking the few spare bandages from cabinet, he went back to the bedroom and quietly closed the door..

Quietly he made his way towards the bedroom, careful not to drop anything. As he entered the room he placed the medical supplies on the dresser. He walked to the side of the bed where the older skeleton was lying down. He stared at the ratty, hastily wrapped, stained scarf with apprehension. Gingerly he began to unwrap the dirty garment. Once the offending article was off he gagged. The crack on the poor kid's skull was so large. It was bleeding profusely. Grillby held his hand in front of his mouth trying to will the vomit to stop. Unable to, he ran to the nearest trash can and vomited molten bile into the receptacle. The sound caused the younger child to stir awake.

"Mister?" Papyrus whispered and rubbed his socket, "whatcha doin'?" He looked over and saw the flame sprite hunched over the trash bin. Grillby wiped his mouth and turned around with a small smile. This child seemed so trusting yet so fearful for someone he just met.

"Kid, what happened?" Papyrus didn't answer and stared at his brother. "Okay then can you tell me your names?" Grillby tried.

Papyrus perked up at this "I am Papyrus and this is Sans" he grinned.

"Can I get you to take some medicine?" Grillby asked standing up from the bed.

[ **No** ] Sans stated, with a cold ice. He had only awakened in time to hear the last part of the conversation about the medicine. Medicine was bad. He groaned opening his eyes. He began to panic. The cloth wasn't around his eye, so why couldn't he see? His hand went up to his face and when he tried to touch the eye he winced back from his own touch. When Sans went to go touch it again, Grillby grabbed the boy by the wrist. "Sans, are you ok?"

[ **DON'T TOUCH ME** ] He screamed.

"I am sorry kid I don't understand what you said," Grillby admitted. Papyrus understanding the garbled mismatch of sounds, puts himself as a barrier between him and his brother. "Don't fucking touch me" He sobs. Grillby shocked at the child's behavior gets down to his knees.

"Hey little man, how are you feeling?" Grillby offered keeping his hands away. Sans did nothing to answer or even show he was listening. Papyrus hopped off the bed and grabbed the bandages and showed them to Grillby. "Hey kiddo will you let me bandage your head? It looks like it hurts."

Sans flinched as Grillby took a step closer. "Will you let me take a closer look at it?" Eventually Sans nodded. "Hey Papyrus could you get me a wet cloth? There should be a towel in the bathroom, just run some water on it." Papyrus nodded and hopped up. Sans didn't like this and tried to stand as well, ignoring the crack in his skull or the break in his leg. Grillby tried to placate the boy by taking a step back. "Just lay down he will be right back." Just liked he promised Papyrus waddled in with a soaking wet towel. Grillby grinned slightly at the young child. "Now Sans I am going to wash out the injury, it may hurt." He took it in his arm with water damage and washed the blood and dirt away. Then he folded the towel clean side out and placed it underneath the feverish child's head.

Sans felt oddly soothed by the gentleness of Grillby's cleaning. It wasn't what he was used to. It was so gentle he found himself falling asleep. He barely noticed when Grillby had stopped and placed the cool cloth under his head as he fell asleep. Grillby rewrapped the poor child's skull. After tending to the worst of the child's wounds, he turned to brother and did the same.

Grillby knew he needed to get help but as afraid as the children seemed to be, he knew that it would be a bad idea. Neither of the children cared for touch and neither would take the simple medicine he had at the house let alone the medicine a doctor would provide. He tucked in the two boys. He stepped into the kitchen and made soup for the kids. Considering the size and weight of the children he assumed they hadn't had much to eat for a while. He chopped the meat and vegetables small so they could eat it easier.

Unbeknownst to Grillby, Papyrus got out from the blankets in search of food. He snuck out of the bedroom, his small footsteps on wood floor, were barely noticeable. When he opened the door to the front of the bar Grillby turned around. "What are you doing Papyrus?" he asked.

Papyrus frowned and held his grumbling stomach and shook his head. "I will go lay back down mister" he mumbled, headed towards the bedroom. Grillby caught the child and crouched down to his level, looking him straight in the eyes.

"Papyrus are you okay? Is there something you want? Food? Medicine? Something to drink? I want to help." He told the boy in a reassuring manner.

Hollowly Papyrus answered food. He downcast his eyes afraid of what was going to happen. He didn't want this man to be mad at him. Grillby picked up the boy and placed him on a booth seat. He brought the child a half chicken and grilled cheese sandwich and a bowl of tomato soup. Papyrus eyes widened at all the food he was given and looked at Grillby with confusion. Why had he given him so much food? Was he going to withhold it for longer than a week?

"Go ahead it's all yours, eat however much you can." Grillby said.

"Daddy gave me less than this last time he fed me," Papyrus admitted.

"When was that?" Grillby asked concerned.

"The last time Daddy fed us was a week ago. I grabbed some round fruit from mister turtle man though," Papyrus whispered. Upon hearing this Grillby grew angry. Who wouldn't feed their children at least two times with school if not three times a day?

Grillby forced a smile to reassure the boy "You can eat as much as you want, and if you are still hungry you can ask for more. Don't worry, you and your brother will get three meals a day as long as you stay with me."

Papyrus grinned and thanked the man. He took a bite out of the sandwich with a hungry vigor that Grillby has never seen before. "Woah slow down there buddy, if you eat too quickly you are gonna get sick. I won't take it away from you." Papyrus slowed down. He only got three quarters of the way through the half sandwich and halfway through his soup before he was full. Grillby frowned because the child didn't have that much to eat in the first place, and he only ate part of what was given.

Grillby lifted the boy in the air and he carried the boy back into the bedroom. He tucked the boy in the comforter. He pulled the chair closer to the bed. "Take a nap, buddy" he said softly. Papyrus fell asleep quickly with his full stomach. Grillby pulled out his phone and considered calling his sister. He glanced over at the two sleeping children and decided to turn off his phone. He watched the boys and as time goes on he eventually fall asleep.


	2. Chapter 2

Sans woke with a start, his eyesocket focused on the faint orange glow of the flame sprite in the room. He seemed to be sitting in a chair near the large bed. Sans watched the flame monster and noticed that he was asleep. Sans grabbed his brother closer to him and pushed him away from the larger monster. **[Don't worry, I will protect you]** Sans whispered to his younger brother.

Papyrus stirred a little in his sleep curling closer into the warmth and kind words that Sans offered. He always felt safer by his brother. Sans always did his best to take care of him. Sans kept his socket focused on Grillby, his illness taking its toll on him. Sans eye slowly closed. Sleep retook the child into it's unforgiving embrace.

" _Sans starting today we will be testing your DT tolerance." Dr Gaster commanded. He had a needle with a glowing red substance that filled it._

" _D-Dad I thought you said that it was dangerous" Sans replied. He cast a strange look at his father. There was no way a father would do this to his son._

" _We didn't get any volunteers who weren't fallen, so you and Papyrus will be our test subjects" Gaster said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "The first injection contains 0.02% DT"_

 _It had been painful to say the least. The DT had been potent enough to send the child into agony. The betrayal is what had made the child start crying. This was why their dad had been so nice to them the past few days._

" _Gaster Log 1- We used a 0.02% DT injection. WD-01-S exhibits pain, There doesn't seem to be any change in physicality. We will try the same dosage in two days."_

 _Sans cringed at that, his dad was going to do this again, he had hoped it was a one and done deal. His body felt as if it were on fire. Then it dawned on him. This pain was about to become normal. He groaned on the floor trying to pick himself up, but the fire that went through his bones wouldn't allow for movement._

Sans's good eye opened quickly. He had just remembered the first time the one person who was supposed to be there for him did the unthinkable. That memory wasn't as bad as the others. Certainly Dr Gaster had done worse to his two children, but he had been five at the time. Papyrus was only two. Luckily for Sans they hadn't used Papyrus till the boy was four.

Grillby woke up to a child's sniveling. He looked over the huddled pile of children. Sans had tears streaming down his face. "Sans are you okay?" Grillby asked the skeleton. Sans looked away from him pulling Papyrus further away from him.

"S-stay away," He growled with a stutter, "L-let us leave."

"I can't just let two children out on the street," He responded. "Are you hungry, I made some food for you and your brother. He already ate" At that Sans's eye began to glow cyan. He pulled his brother close very untrusting of the man. This woke Papyrus up and he gave a half smile to the Flame.

"Hi Mister Grilby! SANS! GRILLBY IS SO NICE HE GAVE ME LOTS OF FOOD AND HE IS FIXING YOUR SOCKET AND-" Papyrus was cut off.

 **[Stop it Papyrus, you know what happens when people are nice to us]** Sans asserted.

 **[But he isn't our daddy Sans. He is nice. He saved you.]** Papyrus countered. "Mister Grillby? Can we give Sans some Totamo soup?"

"If he wants to eat some Tomato soup, I will bring some in here. Sans how is your head or leg feeling?" Grillby asked earnestly.

Sans frowned. He was very hungry and he had to admit that his wounds felt better than before. He just couldn't trust this man. The only one he could trust was his little bro. He sighed, he knew this was his best chance at a meal he would get in a while so he decided to accept.

Papyrus cheered at the small victory. He had gotten his brother to accept to food. He jumped off the bed and helped the flame elemental with carrying the bowl of soup and warm cup of tea. With Papyrus carrying the tea some had spilled on the floor, but Grillby didn't seem like he minded that much. Sans on the other hand was horrified. Papyrus had wasted food. He didn't want his little brother to be punished already. When Grillby hadn't hurt the little skeleton Sans was only confused. "Go on eat. You will feel better."

After Sans ate the soup and drank the Tea he had felt a little better. He felt calmer, and his magic had been replenished somewhat. That didn't mean he had trusted the flame, far from it, but it was nice to have a full stomach again.

"Sans where did you get those injuries? They are horrible, maybe we can get whoever did this to you." Grillby tried. He was met silence. He hadn't know what he was expecting, Papyrus was more trusting and gave Grillby the same treatment earlier.

Sans turned away from the man in front of him and faced towards the wall. Maybe Paps would join him and the two of them could talk and the flaming man would go away. He didn't want to be here, although it didn't look like they had a choice. They were stuck here and this man was gonna give them back to their father or give them more DT. He had started to shake. Everything he worked for had failed. Papyrus noticed his brother's shaking and frowned. He climbed up next to him, "Sans, I am right here. I love you big brother"

Grillby frowned at the children's behaviour. "I promise I won't hurt you" He tried to reason. While it didn't do much, it had seemed to quell the older skeleton's shaking.

"I don't believe you, all monsters have ever done to us was hurt us." Sans spoke softly, "You think you are so different.I have adult monsters figured out. You just want to get our trust to break it. I won't let you. As soon as I can walk Papyrus and I are leaving" Sans held his brother away from Grillby blocking him with his body.


	3. Chapter 3

Papyrus sat on the bed in his brother's arms and whispered "Sans, Mister Grillby is nice. He promised three meals a day. Every day" He grinned at his brother. "Maybe he won't be like daddy."

Sans gently raked his hands over his younger brother's skull in a self-soothing manner. "I don't trust him Paps, kindness is only rewarded with cruelty" a single tear began to roll down to his cheekbone. He held his little brother closely as if he was afraid that if he let go that his little brother would fade away. "Paps I need to protect you."

Grillby walked into the room looking over to where the children are sitting. "Sans I need to get someone to look at your injuries. Will you stay trust me, and stay here?"

Sans frowned at the Flame Monster's intrusion "I won't trust you, but it isn't like I can leave."

"Okay then I will go get a doctor for your inj-" Grillby frowned at being cut off.

"D-Doctor? Umm.. I changed my mind," Sans started shaking. _If the doctor saw them, their dad would hurt them again. He is a doctor, all doctors know each other right? He saw a lot of them when their dad stopped making them an at home experiment and locked them in the labs._ The functioning eye socket flared up cyan and within a moment both Papyrus and himself were teleported. 

The two landed in the snow. This hadn't been what Sans had intended, however his magic was still weak from his injuries, and he had only been able to teleport since his second to last DT injection. It was an untrained skill. Before he could register where he was, the shock made him black out.

" _Gaster Log 97- today subject WD-01-S was injected with a 1.5% solution of DT. The effects were intriguing. His magic has manifested in a way thought impossible by monster kind. After 2 years of injections his body shows little to no damage and infact his magical output is remarkable. He is able to teleport. It was thought to be an impossible skill, but we have done it. The only negative affect is that the DT has lowered his base HP. He now is stuck with an HP of one. With the new teleportation ability, he should be able to dodge just fine so he won't be labeled as crippled. I will recommend this subject start sleeping more often to heal beyond his max HP._

 _Sans scathed in the corner. As soon as he would be used to the pain of one dosage of DT his father would always up the dosage. Each new dosage was much more painful than the previous. This time when it felt like his bones were melting he managed to teleport himself to the other side of the room. He didn't know he had even done that until his father had mentioned something. Something in him broke when he knew that his little brother would feel this amount of pain too. They had just started using him as subject. Sans hated the fact that someone who was supposed to raise, love and take care of them was hurting them so much. He loathed this man who was supposed to be their father. Standing up to him was much more pain than it was worth, and now, he was so weak a toddler could kill him._

 _It wasn't fair. He hadn't done anything wrong that he could think of. The nice teen Alphys would visit him sometimes. She would tell him that she never intended these experiments to be used on living monsters. She would say that no monster should have to suffer like him and his brother did. She was always so nervous around them. Alphys had told them that DT was never to be used as a magic strengthener but as a way to save dying monsters._

 _Sans recalling what his friend had said to him became even more angry. Gaster had done this for fun. He had done this for his sick kicks. So what if he accidently maims one of his sons! ITS NOT LIKE THEY ARE IRREPLACEABLE OR SOMETHING. He was seething. Something came into his vision. A bright cyan beam was shot into the lab before he passed out._

Sans opened his eyes, he held his skeletal hand over the cracked part of his skull. It hurt so much worse after the magical outburst he just had. He had to stay conscious for his little brother. He didn't want to put Papyrus in the same situation as before. "Hey Paps, are you okay?"

"Sans, I feel dizzy, why did we do that!?" Papyrus scolded as he tried to wipe the dizziness from his sockets. There was a small shiver and a whimper from the little brother.

Sans looked around with a small shiver himself and realized that the clothes they were wearing weren't suited for snow, even if it was artificial. Sans scowled at the snow. It was one of the things their dad- no Gaster created for the underground. Artificial weather, it was extraordinary. At least it had been. The machine malfunctioned and only created snow. Sans had no prior experience with snow, he only knew from a picture book that it was cold, and from the lab that it was a form of water. He had never truly seen it before, and now that he had. He wasn't very impressed. It left his broken throbbing leg numb, and that was good enough. "Paps he was going to take us back there. We were going to be hurt again. I couldn't allow that to happen. I have to protect you" The seven year old's eyes welled with tears and began to cry. " I have to take care of you"

(******)

Grillby stood stunned, the children just disappeared without a trace. They were here one moment gone the next. Sans could teleport, that was a surprise. It is common knowledge that teleportation is an extremely uncommon magical trait. Most monsters assumed it was something that could not be achieved and went on from there.

He shook himself from his stupor. He had to find the children, they were much too fragile to make it on their own. The older one could easily succumb to his injuries due to the magic he had exerted to transport both him and the younger child. Although he didn't know much about these children he was attempting to take care of, he already felt protective over them. Maybe it was because he saw that they must have been hurt pretty badly in the past. Maybe it's because he rescued them, but he knew he didn't want to see a single bone on the children harmed.

He knew the children couldn't have gotten far, so he went to enlist the help of Lesser Dog, Dogamy, and Dogaressa to help with the search because of all the sentries in snowdin these were the least threatening looking. "I found these children about two days ago. They are small skeletons and are extremely skittish. The bigger one is hurt pretty bad, but when I turned my back he took off." He plead. He left out a couple of parts but felt like it was better not to let them know about Sans's teleportation.

The group split up and began to search for the skeletal children. Skeletons were not a common species, so it would not be hard to find them.


	4. Chapter 4

Papyrus hugged his older brother as they cried. "Big brother" he sobs, "daddy isn't here, Mr Grillby is really nice. Can we go back to his house?"

Sans just holds him unable to answer his request. He half rocks the four year old in his arms. "He said he was gonna get a doctor," He whispered in a hushed tone. "Every doctor I remember has hurt us." Without even realizing it, he covered his ruined socket with his hand. He neither flinched nor recoiled at the pain it caused him. The other eye socket glowed a brilliant cyan.

Papyrus frown deepened at his brother's reaction. He wanted his big brother to be okay. Sans was nicer than Gaster ever was to him, and really looked up to his older sibling. Papyrus knew his big brother had been hurt worse than him. He knew that his brother was fragile. He hoped that the cold and the aggravated injuries would not damage Sans' soul. If it did his brother would be gone. Where he wasn't sure, but he was told that if Sans' soul ever took damage, his brother would go away. He wanted Sans to stay with him. "Sans," He whispered back his small sockets glowing faintly orange, "where do you want to go?"

"Somewhere that I can keep you safe." Sans muttered. He looked up when he hear a crunch in the snow. Someone was walking nearby and he had absolutely no way of defending off any ill wishers. Any use of his magic would result in worsening his injuries or even damaging his soul.

Papyrus nodded, and while he couldn't take shortcuts he understood what his brother meant. "I do too." The heavy footsteps approached closer and the four year old became tense. He was worried his brother would do something bad. **CRUNCH.** Another step closer, the person came into view. Papyrus let out an audible sigh of relief when he saw the red orange flame. "Mister Grillby! PLEASE DON'T TAKE US TO THE DOCTOR! WE WILL BE GOOD! TAKE US HOME? PLEASE?" The child shouted with a seemingly the same paranoia Sans had.

"Boys I have no reason to cause you harm. I wish no ill intent on you. I only wish to protect you and shelter you from whomever caused the two of you so much pain." Grillby responded as calmly as he flames becoming more red than orange " _What kind of doctor would elicit such a reaction out of children?_ " He wondered idly, as he went to scoop up the two boys in much the same fashion as he did when he first found them. Sans began to shake in the flame's arms, terror still gripped the seven year old. The boy's soul trembled rapidly. "Sans please if you have any capability to trust, trust me." Grillby said to reassure the child. He held the children close to his chest trying to comfort the two.

Sans' closed his eyes from the magical exhaustion desperately trying to stay awake. He had to save Papyrus from bad in the world. He tried to get closer to his little brother while still being carried by the flame. "Please be nice to him, don't hurt him please" He whimpered as sleep began to take him over once again.

Papyrus looked at the flame with an expectant look. "You will be nice to us?" He mumbled as he took his brother's hand. "Don't be daddy" He said quietly in an almost pleading tone. The normally bright sockets gleamed with a small bit of fear, but mostly they had worry filling them to the brim.

"I do not know what your father has subjected the two of you to, but I promise I will not do as he has done." Grillby told the small child barely containing the rage he felt for the person who was supposed to take care of them. He didn't realize he had gotten home until he opened the door to his living quarters.

Moving with all the grace of a Temmie he made his way through his house. He tucked the boys back in his bed and left the room. He began to pace angrily. "They make it sound like he is still alive! HIM ALIVE?! HE harmed two children, children they claim are his sons. If I ever get the displeasure to see him I will make him pay for what he has done to them." Grillby growled as his flame glowed brighter. "They made it sound like he was the reason Sans was so badly injured. Who does that to their own child! I don't have any children of my own but I wouldn't treat them like this." He couldn't believe the cruelty in the world. That amount of cruelty has only been seen in humans.

Grillby's rant was cut short when he heard a child's crying. He went back into the bedroom and saw the two boys comforting each other. Holding on to one another for dear life. "Boys what's wrong?" He sits on the foot of the bed careful not to disturb their positions.

Papyrus cuddles into their brother and with a murmur he articulates "bad dreams, and I still believe that he could do better." Tears streamed down the young boy's face.

"Do you want some hot cocoa?" Grillby offered to the children.

Sans looks nervous at the suggestion not knowing how to accept the offer. He distrusts the man still but knew that he has to rely on him until he is fully healed.

Papyrus nods excitedly, "Yes please! I wanna try some!"

Grillby smiled and made the two boys the hot cocoa. When he returns he asked Sans how his crack in his head and how his leg are doing as he handed the two the warm drink.

With shaking the hands Sans accepts the drink. "They are feeling better." he mumbles and takes a sip of the warm drink and his single working eye socket lights up. "This is good."

Papyrus screeches happily. "THIS IS SO GOOD, THANK YOU MISTER GRILLBY!"

Grillby was pleased with the children liked the hot chocolate. "Oh you like it? Thank you boys" he smiled softly towards the children. "Do you want to talk you about it? Do you want anything"

Sans shook his head and hugs his brother. "Umm.. I am a little hungry" He mentions sleepily.

Grillby smile widened and gets up to get the two children something to eat. He had made progress with Sans. Looks like things are going up.

 **A/N**

 **Sorry for the late update. I lost my chapter and I had to re-write it.**


	5. Chapter 5

Grillby removed the bandage from around the seven year old's eye. An upset sigh escaped

him. The wound should be nearly healed with the monster food the child has eaten. Grillby gingerly touched the crack. There was a wince from the child, but nothing like before. The flame monster knew that he was not skilled in healing magic, and from the reaction the children had at the mere mention of a doctor, he was not planning to take them to see one anytime soon. He would rather not have two children go missing again.

Sans has really calmed down to being near the flame. It was disconcerting, as if the boy had thrown out all fight or flight reactions toward the flame within the last day. For a child that was abused, the impossibility of that was present. The child wasn't healing, far from it. The child was bottling up and would likely hurt everyone around him.

The flame had picked up on that fairly quickly and since then has tried coaxing the child to talk. It's easier said than done. The child is fairly quiet, more of a learned trait than a naturally quiet child. He sees that sometimes as the child talks he trembles, and he spends much more time than natural with his younger sibling.

As of this point in time Grillby still knows next to nothing about these children and it's frustrating him. _They won't even tell me their ages._ He thinks as he tenderly re-wraps the child's head wound. He moves onto the leg and notices that, the leg at least is healing up nicely. "Sans, what is your favorite food?" He asks innocently enough. He wanted to know something about the children that wasn't their names and that adults, doctors especially had done wrong by them.

The child perks up at this. "Papyrus likes spaghetti" He answered politely, no stutter to be found. Sans is smiling, a mostly sincere smile. It was cute that he has such an obvious pride for his brother.

"I asked what you liked Sans" Grillby reminded as he laid the child down with a puzzle to play with. The boy started putting it together lazily with a pensive look on it's face.

"I dunno. I don't think I have came across a food I don't like Mr. Grillby" The child said in a tone much too formal for the Flame's comfort. It was definitely a learned behaviour.

"Then I will make something special for the two of you and see how you like it" He replied back to the child trying to stay as positive as possible. After giving the older child a book to read and checking in on the younger he went to go make dinner for the three.

The way the elder sibling was acting really bothered Grillby. He wasn't hollow, or scared, or even sad, he just was. Grillby knew that he needed to somehow formally adopt these children before the monsters who did this to them came back for them. He also knew he would not be able to take care of two extremely damaged kids by himself.

Grillby pondered the thought of calling his sister. She was a single parent, but she probably didn't know how to help the severely damaged children. She probably knew less than himself. He groaned getting a headache from it all. The Royal Guard already know about the children, if anyone comes by looking for them, it would be easy to find the two young skeletons. He needed a drink.

He frowns as he gets a phone call. With a sigh he picks it up. It was his sister. "Hello Grillby, you missed our monthly visit, are you alright?" She asked.

"Hello Fiametta, things came up" He answered truthfully, as he started making the children burgers to eat. "I haven't had a free moment in a couple days."

"Fuku misses her favorite uncle" Fiametta egged on playfully.

"I don't think I will be able to visit the two of you for a few months, and I don't think you should come here either" Grillby replies sadly. Truth is he missed his family too, but he had to help the two boys out.

"Grillby what's going on?" She whispered into the phone worry thick in her voice.

Grillby opened his mouth to respond when a small skeleton walked in with a shy enthusiastic smile on his face. "Fia I have to go, I'm sorry" He cut the call short. "Hello Papyrus, dinner will be ready soon."

The small skeleton smiles at the flame. "Mister Grillby, can I watch?"

"Of course, you can even help if you want," He gives the child the most sincere smile he can muster at the moment. It is underwhelming. The stress is definitely visible to those who know what it looks like.

With the enthusiasm of a child being offered sweets Papyrus nodded. The bartender pulls a chair close to the counter and let the child put the condiments on the buns. Ketchup went everywhere and the child really enjoyed it until he noticed the mess he made. There was an ever so slight shaking in the child. "I'LL FIX IT MISTER, I JUST NEED TO KNOW WHERE THE SOAP AND TOWELS ARE." He yelled with a small whimper.

To say that caught the flame off guard would be an understatement. Grillby had known the children had suffered abuse, but he didn't know exactly that entailed. "It's only a little ketchup," he comforted the child as he put the meat patties on the bun, "Stay here, I will clean it up. I am not mad at you"

The child's face melted into instant relief at the kind man's words. "Thanks Mister Grillby." He smiled at him and the child stayed in place. Only now noticing how much of the red substance was on himself.

"After you eat, you are going to get a bath" Grillby told the child in a caring amused tone.

"Okay Mister Grillby" He giggled in agreeance. With that Grillby placed the child at the table so he could eat. He grabbed the other burger and brought it to Sans. When the older child took a bite his eyes shone with true glee for the first time since he started staying with the flame.


	6. Chapter 6

_Sans awoke, alone in the dark. He could have sworn he was in bed when he had fallen asleep. All he could hear was his echoed breathing. With a crackle of electricity the room flooded with light. The young skeleton shielded his eyes to see a cage in front of him, and a single video camera recording his progress. The air became cool around him as the intercom crackled to life. An all too familiar voice instructed him to summon his blasters and blast the Whimsum in front of him to death. He refused. He wasn't going to hurt anything, if he hurt this small little Whimsum what would stop him from hurting Papyrus. He didn't care that he was going to be punished for insubordination. Papyrus was too young to experiment on, so he was still protecting his little brother._

 _He cringed as the door opened inward. Light filtered in and it hurt the young skeleton's eye sockets. "H-hi Daddy" He whimpered. He knew he was in trouble with his father, but he refused to fight back. If he reacted he would be in more trouble._

 _The tall lanky skeleton walked over to the child with a fist. "Sans, you are such a disappointment. It is a wonder Papyrus Still likes you." The child mutely nodded to this statement looking to the floor. Before Sans could register what was happening the larger skeleton struck the child and knocked him to the floor.. The sound of bone hitting bone echoed through the room. It wasn't something Sans hadn't been expecting. He disobeyed and he was getting punished for it. He wished things would go back to how they were before._

 _Sans was roughly grabbed by the arm nearly having it pulled from the socket. He whimpered a quiet "ow" as his father pulled him to his bedroom. He shoved the child onto the floor, with a scowl. Tears began had formed in his sockets._

" _Stay in here you little shit. Do not disappoint me next time." Gaster commanded as he locked the door. He rubbed his cheekbone, it had a cracked slightly. Honestly He was expecting a harsher punishment from his father but it still hurt._

 _Sans curled up against his younger brother and fell back to sleep._

"SANS! SANS WAKE UP!" Papyrus called out as he shook his older brother. Sans was having another nightmare. The skeleton was scarily still, with light blue tears going down his face.

Papyrus shook his brother again, and Sans' eye sockets opened. "Oh.. Hey Paps" The older skeleton said sheepishly. "Did I wake you?"

Papyrus nodded and gave his big brother a hug "You don't need to have scary dreams anymore. Mister Grillby will protect us."

Sans put on a fake smile for his brother. He knew the "dream" was a memory from when he was a lab rat. When he thought Gaster still had a chance to change. Sans pushed himself off the bed and walked his way to the bathroom. With shaky hands he removed his the bandages from his face. He stared at his reflection with his good eye. He gently rubbed the crack. He winced slightly but knew the bone was healing. "Heh, there is an eyelight in this eye still. I can't see out of it at all" he muttered to no one in particular. "My magic is still too weak to protect Papyrus, and it doesn't help that I don't understand what the fire monster wants from us."

Sans clenched his hands, he needed to stop his magic from flaring up. It wouldn't help anyone if it did. He shouldn't be angry, this man hadn't done anything to them yet. He needs to keep acting polite, and then nothing bad will happen. Sans took a deep breath and sought out the living flame.

Grillby was already at his bar working for the day. Sans stayed out of sight of the patrons. He felt very nervous. He wanted to curl back up with Papyrus but he knew Grillby had to see that he could walk on his leg again. "Umm mister" he whispered.

Grillby looked down at the child. "What is it Sans"

"I am feeling better now" He mumbled eyes averted from the adult in front of him.

The flame could feel the nervous awkwardness in the air. "Sans, do you really want to leave?"

The child stayed silent as if he were considering his options or he didn't know how to answer.

The flame sighed. "You do not have to answer right now"

"Can we have those things in a bread covered in red? I uh…um... liked those"

"Hamburgers?" Grillby offered and Sans shrugged "I will make some for you and your brother," the flame smiled lightly.

Sans walked back to where Papyrus was. As he did he heard the phone go off. "Hello? Fia I told you I was fine" The child heard the flame say before he got into the room.

"Paps, he said he was going to make us food" Sans said to his younger brother quietly.

The smaller skeleton grinned largely. "Brother, Mr. Grillby is nice right?" Sans only nodded shyly as he pulled Papyrus closer to himself. "He won't hurt us like daddy, right big brother? He has been really nice "

Sans frowned and he shut himself off. "Lets not talk to about that, I don't know what he would or wouldn't do"

"Okay," The smaller skeleton frowned, but didn't say anything after that. Instead he gave his big brother a big hug.


End file.
